Method and apparatus for receiving mac address of another sta within reception mld in wireless lan system

ABSTRACT

Proposed are a method and an apparatus for receiving an MAC address of another STA within a reception MLD in a wireless LAN system. Specifically, the reception MLD receives an ML element from a transmission MLD through a first link. The reception MLD decodes the ML element. The ML element includes common information and link information. The link information includes a profile field of the second transmission STA. The profile field of the second transmission STA includes first information relating to whether an MAC address of the second transmission STA exists. If the first information is configured to be 1, the profile field of the second transmission ST A includes the MAC address of the second transmission STA.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.18/271,424, filed on Jul. 7, 2023, which is the National Stage filingunder 35 U.S.C. 371 of International Application No. PCT/KR2022/000022,filed on Jan. 3, 2022, which claims the benefit of earlier filing dateand right of priority to Korean Application Nos. 10-2021-0002733, filedon Jan. 8, 2021, and 10-2021-0006183, filed on Jan. 15, 2021, thecontents of which are all incorporated by reference herein in theirentirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present specification relates a multi-link operation in a wirelesslocal area network (WLAN) system and, most particularly, to a method andapparatus for receiving a MAC address of another STA in a receiving MLD.

BACKGROUND

A wireless local area network (WLAN) has been improved in various ways.For example, the IEEE 802.11ax standard proposed an improvedcommunication environment using orthogonal frequency division multipleaccess (OFDMA) and downlink multi-user multiple input multiple output(DL MU MIMO) techniques.

The present specification proposes a technical feature that can beutilized in a new communication standard. For example, the newcommunication standard may be an extreme high throughput (EHT) standardwhich is currently being discussed. The EHT standard may use anincreased bandwidth, an enhanced PHY layer protocol data unit (PPDU)structure, an enhanced sequence, a hybrid automatic repeat request(HARQ) scheme, or the like, which is newly proposed. The EHT standardmay be called the IEEE 802.11be standard.

In a new WLAN standard, an increased number of spatial streams may beused. In this case, in order to properly use the increased number ofspatial streams, a signaling technique in the WLAN system may need to beimproved.

SUMMARY

The present specification proposes a method and apparatus for receivinga MAC address of another STA in a receiving MLD in a wireless LANsystem.

An example of this specification proposes a method for receiving the MACaddress of another STA in the receiving MLD.

The present embodiment may be performed in a network environment inwhich a next generation WLAN system (IEEE 802.11be or EHT WLAN system)is supported. The next generation wireless LAN system is a WLAN systemthat is enhanced from an 802.11ax system and may, therefore, satisfybackward compatibility with the 802.11ax system.

The present embodiment proposes a method and apparatus for receiving, bya non-AP STA, a MAC address of another non-AP STA in the same non-AP MLDthrough an ML element in MLD communication. The non-AP STA recognizesanother non-AP STA based on the MAC address of the other non-AP STA, sothat frame exchange is possible on a corresponding link. Here, thetransmitting MLD may correspond to an AP MLD, and the receiving MLD maycorrespond to a non-AP MLD. If the non-AP STA is a first receiving STA,a first transmitting STA connected to the first receiving STA through afirst link may be referred to as a peer AP, the second to thirdtransmitting STAs connected through different links may be referred toas other APs, and the second and third receiving STAs connected throughdifferent links may be referred to as other non-AP STAs.

A receiving Multi-link Device (MLD) receives a multi-link (ML) elementfrom a transmitting MLD through a first link.

The receiving MLD decodes the ML element.

The transmitting MLD includes a first transmitting station (STA)operating on the first link and a second transmitting STA operating on asecond link. The receiving MLD may include a first receiving STAoperating on the first link and a second receiving STA operating on thesecond link.

The ML element includes common information and link information.

The link information includes a profile field of the second transmittingSTA. The profile field of the second transmitting STA includes firstinformation on whether a MAC address of the second transmitting STA ispresent. If the first information is set to 1, the profile field of thesecond transmitting STA includes the MAC address of the secondtransmitting STA. When the first information is set to 0, the profilefield of the second transmitting STA may not include the MAC address ofthe second transmitting STA.

The transmitting MLD may further include a third transmitting STAoperating in a third link. The receiving MLD may further include a thirdtransmitting STA operating in the third link.

The link information may further include a profile field of the thirdtransmitting STA. The profile field of the third transmitting STA mayinclude second information on whether a MAC address of the thirdtransmitting STA is present. When the second information is set to 1,the profile field of the third transmitting STA may include the MACaddress of the third transmitting STA. When the second information isset to 0, the profile field of the third transmitting STA may notinclude the MAC address of the third transmitting STA.

The first link may be an association link, and the second and thirdlinks may be non-association links.

According to the embodiment proposed in this specification, by receivingthe MAC address of an STA operating in a non-associated link through anassociated link, there is an effect of enabling frame exchange in thenon-associated link.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an example of a transmitting apparatus and/or receivingapparatus of the present specification.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual view illustrating the structure of a wirelesslocal area network (WLAN).

FIG. 3 illustrates a general link setup process.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a PPDU used in an IEEE standard.

FIG. 5 illustrates an operation based on UL-MU.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a trigger frame.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a common information field of a triggerframe.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example of a subfield included in a per userinformation field.

FIG. 9 describes a technical feature of the UORA scheme.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a PPDU used in the presentspecification.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example of a modified transmission device and/orreceiving device of the present specification.

FIG. 12 shows an example of a structure of a STA MLD.

FIG. 13 shows an example of setting Multi-Link.

FIG. 14 shows an example of an MLD Per-STA MAC address field.

FIG. 15 shows an example of an MLD Per-STA MAC address element.

FIG. 16 illustrates structures of a Multi-link Control field and aCommon Info field of a Multi-link Element.

FIG. 17 shows the structure of the Link Info field of Multi-linkElement.

FIG. 18 shows an example in which the MLD Per-STA MAC address field isincluded in the Common Info field of the Multi-link Element.

FIG. 19 shows an example in which the MAC address of the STA is includedin the Per-STA Profile subfield of the Link Info field of the Multi-linkElement.

FIG. 20 shows an example in which the Complete Profile is included inthe Per-STA Profile subfield of the Link Info field of the Multi-linkElement.

FIG. 21 shows an example of including MAC address present in the Per-STAProfile subfield of the Link Info field of the multi-link element.

FIG. 22 shows an example of transmitting an Initial frame on anon-association link.

FIG. 23 shows another example of transmitting an Initial frame on anon-association link.

FIG. 24 shows another example of transmitting an Initial frame on anon-association link.

FIG. 25 shows another example of transmitting an Initial frame on anon-association link.

FIG. 26 shows another example of transmitting an Initial frame on anon-association link.

FIG. 27 shows another example of transmitting an Initial frame on anon-association link.

FIG. 28 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure in which a transmittingMLD provides MAC addresses of other STAs to a receiving MLD through aMulti-Link element (ML element) according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 29 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure in which a receiving MLDreceives MAC addresses of other STAs from a transmitting MLD through aMulti-Link element (ML element) according to the present embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the present specification, “A or B” may mean “only A”, “only B” or“both A and B”. In other words, in the present specification, “A or B”may be interpreted as “A and/or B”. For example, in the presentspecification, “A, B, or C” may mean “only A”, “only B”, “only C”, or“any combination of A, B, C”.

A slash (/) or comma used in the present specification may mean“and/or”. For example, “A/B” may mean “A and/or B”. Accordingly, “A/B”may mean “only A”, “only B”, or “both A and B”. For example, “A, B, C”may mean “A, B, or C”.

In the present specification, “at least one of A and B” may mean “onlyA”, “only B”, or “both A and B”. In addition, in the presentspecification, the expression “at least one of A or B” or “at least oneof A and/or B” may be interpreted as “at least one of A and B”.

In addition, in the present specification, “at least one of A, B, and C”may mean “only A”, “only B”, “only C”, or “any combination of A, B, andC”. In addition, “at least one of A, B, or C” or “at least one of A, B,and/or C” may mean “at least one of A, B, and C”.

In addition, a parenthesis used in the present specification may mean“for example”. Specifically, when indicated as “control information(EHT-signal)”, it may denote that “EHT-signal” is proposed as an exampleof the “control information”. In other words, the “control information”of the present specification is not limited to “EHT-signal”, and“EHT-signal” may be proposed as an example of the “control information”.In addition, when indicated as “control information (i.e., EHT-signal)”,it may also mean that “EHT-signal” is proposed as an example of the“control information”.

Technical features described individually in one figure in the presentspecification may be individually implemented, or may be simultaneouslyimplemented.

The following example of the present specification may be applied tovarious wireless communication systems. For example, the followingexample of the present specification may be applied to a wireless localarea network (WLAN) system. For example, the present specification maybe applied to the IEEE 802.11a/g/n/ac standard or the IEEE 802.11axstandard. In addition, the present specification may also be applied tothe newly proposed EHT standard or IEEE 802.11be standard. In addition,the example of the present specification may also be applied to a newWLAN standard enhanced from the EHT standard or the IEEE 802.11bestandard. In addition, the example of the present specification may beapplied to a mobile communication system. For example, it may be appliedto a mobile communication system based on long term evolution (LTE)depending on a 3^(rd) generation partnership project (3GPP) standard andbased on evolution of the LTE. In addition, the example of the presentspecification may be applied to a communication system of a 5G NRstandard based on the 3GPP standard.

Hereinafter, in order to describe a technical feature of the presentspecification, a technical feature applicable to the presentspecification will be described.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a transmitting apparatus and/or receivingapparatus of the present specification.

In the example of FIG. 1 , various technical features described belowmay be performed. FIG. 1 relates to at least one station (STA). Forexample, STAs 110 and 120 of the present specification may also becalled in various terms such as a mobile terminal, a wireless device, awireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), a user equipment (UE), a mobilestation (MS), a mobile subscriber unit, or simply a user. The STAs 110and 120 of the present specification may also be called in various termssuch as a network, a base station, a node-B, an access point (AP), arepeater, a router, a relay, or the like. The STAs 110 and 120 of thepresent specification may also be referred to as various names such as areceiving apparatus, a transmitting apparatus, a receiving STA, atransmitting STA, a receiving device, a transmitting device, or thelike.

For example, the STAs 110 and 120 may serve as an AP or a non-AP. Thatis, the STAs 110 and 120 of the present specification may serve as theAP and/or the non-AP.

The STAs 110 and 120 of the present specification may support variouscommunication standards together in addition to the IEEE 802.11standard. For example, a communication standard (e.g., LTE, LTE-A, 5G NRstandard) or the like based on the 3GPP standard may be supported. Inaddition, the STA of the present specification may be implemented asvarious devices such as a mobile phone, a vehicle, a personal computer,or the like. In addition, the STA of the present specification maysupport communication for various communication services such as voicecalls, video calls, data communication, and self-driving(autonomous-driving), or the like.

The STAs 110 and 120 of the present specification may include a mediumaccess control (MAC) conforming to the IEEE 802.11 standard and aphysical layer interface for a radio medium.

The STAs 110 and 120 will be described below with reference to asub-figure (a) of FIG. 1 .

The first STA 110 may include a processor 111, a memory 112, and atransceiver 113. The illustrated process, memory, and transceiver may beimplemented individually as separate chips, or at least twoblocks/functions may be implemented through a single chip.

The transceiver 113 of the first STA performs a signaltransmission/reception operation. Specifically, an IEEE 802.11 packet(e.g., IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be, etc.) may be transmitted/received.

For example, the first STA 110 may perform an operation intended by anAP. For example, the processor 111 of the AP may receive a signalthrough the transceiver 113, process a reception (RX) signal, generate atransmission (TX) signal, and provide control for signal transmission.The memory 112 of the AP may store a signal (e.g., RX signal) receivedthrough the transceiver 113, and may store a signal (e.g., TX signal) tobe transmitted through the transceiver.

For example, the second STA 120 may perform an operation intended by anon-AP STA. For example, a transceiver 123 of a non-AP performs a signaltransmission/reception operation. Specifically, an IEEE 802.11 packet(e.g., IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be packet, etc.) may betransmitted/received.

For example, a processor 121 of the non-AP STA may receive a signalthrough the transceiver 123, process an RX signal, generate a TX signal,and provide control for signal transmission. A memory 122 of the non-APSTA may store a signal (e.g., RX signal) received through thetransceiver 123, and may store a signal (e.g., TX signal) to betransmitted through the transceiver.

For example, an operation of a device indicated as an AP in thespecification described below may be performed in the first STA 110 orthe second STA 120. For example, if the first STA 110 is the AP, theoperation of the device indicated as the AP may be controlled by theprocessor 111 of the first STA 110, and a related signal may betransmitted or received through the transceiver 113 controlled by theprocessor 111 of the first STA 110. In addition, control informationrelated to the operation of the AP or a TX/RX signal of the AP may bestored in the memory 112 of the first STA 110. In addition, if thesecond STA 120 is the AP, the operation of the device indicated as theAP may be controlled by the processor 121 of the second STA 120, and arelated signal may be transmitted or received through the transceiver123 controlled by the processor 121 of the second STA 120. In addition,control information related to the operation of the AP or a TX/RX signalof the AP may be stored in the memory 122 of the second STA 120.

For example, in the specification described below, an operation of adevice indicated as a non-AP (or user-STA) may be performed in the firstSTA 110 or the second STA 120. For example, if the second STA 120 is thenon-AP, the operation of the device indicated as the non-AP may becontrolled by the processor 121 of the second STA 120, and a relatedsignal may be transmitted or received through the transceiver 123controlled by the processor 121 of the second STA 120. In addition,control information related to the operation of the non-AP or a TX/RXsignal of the non-AP may be stored in the memory 122 of the second STA120. For example, if the first STA 110 is the non-AP, the operation ofthe device indicated as the non-AP may be controlled by the processor111 of the first STA 110, and a related signal may be transmitted orreceived through the transceiver 113 controlled by the processor 111 ofthe first STA 110. In addition, control information related to theoperation of the non-AP or a TX/RX signal of the non-AP may be stored inthe memory 112 of the first STA 110.

In the specification described below, a device called a(transmitting/receiving) STA, a first STA, a second STA, a STA1, a STA2,an AP, a first AP, a second AP, an AP1, an AP2, a(transmitting/receiving) terminal, a (transmitting/receiving) device, a(transmitting/receiving) apparatus, a network, or the like may imply theSTAs 110 and 120 of FIG. 1 . For example, a device indicated as, withouta specific reference numeral, the (transmitting/receiving) STA, thefirst STA, the second STA, the STA1, the STA2, the AP, the first AP, thesecond AP, the AP1, the AP2, the (transmitting/receiving) terminal, the(transmitting/receiving) device, the (transmitting/receiving) apparatus,the network, or the like may imply the STAs 110 and 120 of FIG. 1 . Forexample, in the following example, an operation in which various STAstransmit/receive a signal (e.g., a PPDU) may be performed in thetransceivers 113 and 123 of FIG. 1 . In addition, in the followingexample, an operation in which various STAs generate a TX/RX signal orperform data processing and computation in advance for the TX/RX signalmay be performed in the processors 111 and 121 of FIG. 1 . For example,an example of an operation for generating the TX/RX signal or performingthe data processing and computation in advance may include: 1) anoperation ofdetermining/obtaining/configuring/computing/decoding/encoding bitinformation of a sub-field (SIG, STF, LTF, Data) included in a PPDU; 2)an operation of determining/configuring/obtaining a time resource orfrequency resource (e.g., a subcarrier resource) or the like used forthe sub-field (SIG, STF, LTF, Data) included the PPDU; 3) an operationof determining/configuring/obtaining a specific sequence (e.g., a pilotsequence, an STF/LTF sequence, an extra sequence applied to SIG) or thelike used for the sub-field (SIG, STF, LTF, Data) field included in thePPDU; 4) a power control operation and/or power saving operation appliedfor the STA; and 5) an operation related todetermining/obtaining/configuring/decoding/encoding or the like of anACK signal. In addition, in the following example, a variety ofinformation used by various STAs fordetermining/obtaining/configuring/computing/decoding/decoding a TX/RXsignal (e.g., information related to a field/subfield/controlfield/parameter/power or the like) may be stored in the memories 112 and122 of FIG. 1 .

The aforementioned device/STA of the sub-figure (a) of FIG. 1 may bemodified as shown in the sub-figure (b) of FIG. 1 . Hereinafter, theSTAs 110 and 120 of the present specification will be described based onthe sub-figure (b) of FIG. 1 .

For example, the transceivers 113 and 123 illustrated in the sub-figure(b) of FIG. 1 may perform the same function as the aforementionedtransceiver illustrated in the sub-figure (a) of FIG. 1 . For example,processing chips 114 and 124 illustrated in the sub-figure (b) of FIG. 1may include the processors 111 and 121 and the memories 112 and 122. Theprocessors 111 and 121 and memories 112 and 122 illustrated in thesub-figure (b) of FIG. 1 may perform the same function as theaforementioned processors 111 and 121 and memories 112 and 122illustrated in the sub-figure (a) of FIG. 1 .

A mobile terminal, a wireless device, a wireless transmit/receive unit(WTRU), a user equipment (UE), a mobile station (MS), a mobilesubscriber unit, a user, a user STA, a network, a base station, aNode-B, an access point (AP), a repeater, a router, a relay, a receivingunit, a transmitting unit, a receiving STA, a transmitting STA, areceiving device, a transmitting device, a receiving apparatus, and/or atransmitting apparatus, which are described below, may imply the STAs110 and 120 illustrated in the sub-figure (a)/(b) of FIG. 1 , or mayimply the processing chips 114 and 124 illustrated in the sub-figure (b)of FIG. 1 . That is, a technical feature of the present specificationmay be performed in the STAs 110 and 120 illustrated in the sub-figure(a)/(b) of FIG. 1 , or may be performed only in the processing chips 114and 124 illustrated in the sub-figure (b) of FIG. 1 . For example, atechnical feature in which the transmitting STA transmits a controlsignal may be understood as a technical feature in which a controlsignal generated in the processors 111 and 121 illustrated in thesub-figure (a)/(b) of FIG. 1 is transmitted through the transceivers 113and 123 illustrated in the sub-figure (a)/(b) of FIG. 1 . Alternatively,the technical feature in which the transmitting STA transmits thecontrol signal may be understood as a technical feature in which thecontrol signal to be transferred to the transceivers 113 and 123 isgenerated in the processing chips 114 and 124 illustrated in thesub-figure (b) of FIG. 1 .

For example, a technical feature in which the receiving STA receives thecontrol signal may be understood as a technical feature in which thecontrol signal is received by means of the transceivers 113 and 123illustrated in the sub-figure (a) of FIG. 1 . Alternatively, thetechnical feature in which the receiving STA receives the control signalmay be understood as the technical feature in which the control signalreceived in the transceivers 113 and 123 illustrated in the sub-figure(a) of FIG. 1 is obtained by the processors 111 and 121 illustrated inthe sub-figure (a) of FIG. 1 . Alternatively, the technical feature inwhich the receiving STA receives the control signal may be understood asthe technical feature in which the control signal received in thetransceivers 113 and 123 illustrated in the sub-figure (b) of FIG. 1 isobtained by the processing chips 114 and 124 illustrated in thesub-figure (b) of FIG. 1 .

Referring to the sub-figure (b) of FIG. 1 , software codes 115 and 125may be included in the memories 112 and 122. The software codes 115 and126 may include instructions for controlling an operation of theprocessors 111 and 121. The software codes 115 and 125 may be includedas various programming languages.

The processors 111 and 121 or processing chips 114 and 124 of FIG. 1 mayinclude an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), otherchipsets, a logic circuit and/or a data processing device. The processormay be an application processor (AP). For example, the processors 111and 121 or processing chips 114 and 124 of FIG. 1 may include at leastone of a digital signal processor (DSP), a central processing unit(CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), and a modulator and demodulator(modem). For example, the processors 111 and 121 or processing chips 114and 124 of FIG. 1 may be SNAPDRAGON™ series of processors made byQualcomm®, EXYNOS™ series of processors made by Samsung@, A series ofprocessors made by Apple®, HELIO™ series of processors made byMediaTek®, ATOM™ series of processors made by Intel® or processorsenhanced from these processors.

In the present specification, an uplink may imply a link forcommunication from a non-AP STA to an SP STA, and an uplinkPPDU/packet/signal or the like may be transmitted through the uplink. Inaddition, in the present specification, a downlink may imply a link forcommunication from the AP STA to the non-AP STA, and a downlinkPPDU/packet/signal or the like may be transmitted through the downlink.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual view illustrating the structure of a wirelesslocal area network (WLAN).

An upper part of FIG. 2 illustrates the structure of an infrastructurebasic service set (BSS) of institute of electrical and electronicengineers (IEEE) 802.11.

Referring the upper part of FIG. 2 , the wireless LAN system may includeone or more infrastructure BSSs 200 and 205 (hereinafter, referred to asBSS). The BSSs 200 and 205 as a set of an AP and a STA such as an accesspoint (AP) 225 and a station (STA1) 200-1 which are successfullysynchronized to communicate with each other are not concepts indicatinga specific region. The BSS 205 may include one or more STAs 205-1 and205-2 which may be joined to one AP 230.

The BSS may include at least one STA, APs providing a distributionservice, and a distribution system (DS) 210 connecting multiple APs.

The distribution system 210 may implement an extended service set (ESS)240 extended by connecting the multiple BSSs 200 and 205. The ESS 240may be used as a term indicating one network configured by connectingone or more APs 225 or 230 through the distribution system 210. The APincluded in one ESS 240 may have the same service set identification(SSID).

A portal 220 may serve as a bridge which connects the wireless LANnetwork (IEEE 802.11) and another network (e.g., 802.X).

In the BSS illustrated in the upper part of FIG. 2 , a network betweenthe APs 225 and 230 and a network between the APs 225 and 230 and theSTAs 200-1, 205-1, and 205-2 may be implemented. However, the network isconfigured even between the STAs without the APs 225 and 230 to performcommunication. A network in which the communication is performed byconfiguring the network even between the STAs without the APs 225 and230 is defined as an Ad-Hoc network or an independent basic service set(IBSS).

A lower part of FIG. 2 illustrates a conceptual view illustrating theIBSS.

Referring to the lower part of FIG. 2 , the IBSS is a BSS that operatesin an Ad-Hoc mode. Since the IBSS does not include the access point(AP), a centralized management entity that performs a managementfunction at the center does not exist. That is, in the IBSS, STAs 250-1,250-2, 250-3, 255-4, and 255-5 are managed by a distributed manner. Inthe IBSS, all STAs 250-1, 250-2, 250-3, 255-4, and 255-5 may beconstituted by movable STAs and are not permitted to access the DS toconstitute a self-contained network.

FIG. 3 illustrates a general link setup process.

In S310, a STA may perform a network discovery operation. The networkdiscovery operation may include a scanning operation of the STA. Thatis, to access a network, the STA needs to discover a participatingnetwork. The STA needs to identify a compatible network beforeparticipating in a wireless network, and a process of identifying anetwork present in a particular area is referred to as scanning.Scanning methods include active scanning and passive scanning.

FIG. 3 illustrates a network discovery operation including an activescanning process. In active scanning, a STA performing scanningtransmits a probe request frame and waits for a response to the proberequest frame in order to identify which AP is present around whilemoving to channels. A responder transmits a probe response frame as aresponse to the probe request frame to the STA having transmitted theprobe request frame. Here, the responder may be a STA that transmits thelast beacon frame in a BSS of a channel being scanned. In the BSS, sincean AP transmits a beacon frame, the AP is the responder. In an IBSS,since STAs in the IBSS transmit a beacon frame in turns, the responderis not fixed. For example, when the STA transmits a probe request framevia channel 1 and receives a probe response frame via channel 1, the STAmay store BSS-related information included in the received proberesponse frame, may move to the next channel (e.g., channel 2), and mayperform scanning (e.g., transmits a probe request and receives a proberesponse via channel 2) by the same method.

Although not shown in FIG. 3 , scanning may be performed by a passivescanning method. In passive scanning, a STA performing scanning may waitfor a beacon frame while moving to channels. A beacon frame is one ofmanagement frames in IEEE 802.11 and is periodically transmitted toindicate the presence of a wireless network and to enable the STAperforming scanning to find the wireless network and to participate inthe wireless network. In a BSS, an AP serves to periodically transmit abeacon frame. In an IBSS, STAs in the IBSS transmit a beacon frame inturns. Upon receiving the beacon frame, the STA performing scanningstores information related to a BSS included in the beacon frame andrecords beacon frame information in each channel while moving to anotherchannel. The STA having received the beacon frame may store BSS-relatedinformation included in the received beacon frame, may move to the nextchannel, and may perform scanning in the next channel by the samemethod.

After discovering the network, the STA may perform an authenticationprocess in S320. The authentication process may be referred to as afirst authentication process to be clearly distinguished from thefollowing security setup operation in S340. The authentication processin S320 may include a process in which the STA transmits anauthentication request frame to the AP and the AP transmits anauthentication response frame to the STA in response. The authenticationframes used for an authentication request/response are managementframes.

The authentication frames may include information related to anauthentication algorithm number, an authentication transaction sequencenumber, a status code, a challenge text, a robust security network(RSN), and a finite cyclic group.

The STA may transmit the authentication request frame to the AP. The APmay determine whether to allow the authentication of the STA based onthe information included in the received authentication request frame.The AP may provide the authentication processing result to the STA viathe authentication response frame.

When the STA is successfully authenticated, the STA may perform anassociation process in S330. The association process includes a processin which the STA transmits an association request frame to the AP andthe AP transmits an association response frame to the STA in response.The association request frame may include, for example, informationrelated to various capabilities, a beacon listen interval, a service setidentifier (SSID), a supported rate, a supported channel, RSN, amobility domain, a supported operating class, a traffic indication map(TIM) broadcast request, and an interworking service capability. Theassociation response frame may include, for example, information relatedto various capabilities, a status code, an association ID (AID), asupported rate, an enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) parameterset, a received channel power indicator (RCPI), a receivedsignal-to-noise indicator (RSNI), a mobility domain, a timeout interval(association comeback time), an overlapping BSS scanning parameter, aTIM broadcast response, and a QoS map.

In S340, the STA may perform a security setup process. The securitysetup process in S340 may include a process of setting up a private keythrough four-way handshaking, for example, through an extensibleauthentication protocol over LAN (EAPOL) frame.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a PPDU used in an IEEE standard.

As illustrated, various types of PHY protocol data units (PPDUs) areused in IEEE a/g/n/ac standards. Specifically, an LTF and a STF includea training signal, a SIG-A and a SIG-B include control information for areceiving STA, and a data field includes user data corresponding to aPSDU (MAC PDU/aggregated MAC PDU).

FIG. 4 also includes an example of an HE PPDU according to IEEE802.11ax. The HE PPDU according to FIG. 4 is an illustrative PPDU formultiple users. An HE-SIG-B may be included only in a PPDU for multipleusers, and an HE-SIG-B may be omitted in a PPDU for a single user.

As illustrated in FIG. 4 , the HE-PPDU for multiple users (MUs) mayinclude a legacy-short training field (L-STF), a legacy-long trainingfield (L-LTF), a legacy-signal (L-SIG), a high efficiency-signal A(HE-SIG A), a high efficiency-signal-B (HE-SIG B), a highefficiency-short training field (HE-STF), a high efficiency-longtraining field (HE-LTF), a data field (alternatively, an MAC payload),and a packet extension (PE) field. The respective fields may betransmitted for illustrated time periods (i.e., 4 or 8 μs).

Hereinafter, a resource unit (RU) used for a PPDU is described. An RUmay include a plurality of subcarriers (or tones). An RU may be used totransmit a signal to a plurality of STAs according to OFDMA. Further, anRU may also be defined to transmit a signal to one STA. An RU may beused for an STF, an LTF, a data field, or the like.

The RU described in the present specification may be used in uplink (UL)communication and downlink (DL) communication. For example, when UL-MUcommunication which is solicited by a trigger frame is performed, atransmitting STA (e.g., an AP) may allocate a first RU (e.g.,26/52/106/242-RU, etc.) to a first STA through the trigger frame, andmay allocate a second RU (e.g., 26/52/106/242-RU, etc.) to a second STA.Thereafter, the first STA may transmit a first trigger-based PPDU basedon the first RU, and the second STA may transmit a second trigger-basedPPDU based on the second RU. The first/second trigger-based PPDU istransmitted to the AP at the same (or overlapped) time period.

For example, when a DL MU PPDU is configured, the transmitting STA(e.g., AP) may allocate the first RU (e.g., 26/52/106/242-RU. etc.) tothe first STA, and may allocate the second RU (e.g., 26/52/106/242-RU,etc.) to the second STA. That is, the transmitting STA (e.g., AP) maytransmit HE-STF, HE-LTF, and Data fields for the first STA through thefirst RU in one MU PPDU, and may transmit HE-STF, HE-LTF, and Datafields for the second STA through the second RU.

FIG. 5 illustrates an operation based on UL-MU. As illustrated, atransmitting STA (e.g., an AP) may perform channel access throughcontending (e.g., a backoff operation), and may transmit a trigger frame1030. That is, the transmitting STA may transmit a PPDU including thetrigger frame 1030. Upon receiving the PPDU including the trigger frame,a trigger-based (TB) PPDU is transmitted after a delay corresponding toSIFS.

TB PPDUs 1041 and 1042 may be transmitted at the same time period, andmay be transmitted from a plurality of STAs (e.g., user STAs) havingAIDs indicated in the trigger frame 1030. An ACK frame 1050 for the TBPPDU may be implemented in various forms.

A specific feature of the trigger frame is described with reference toFIG. 6 to FIG. 8 . Even if UL-MU communication is used, an orthogonalfrequency division multiple access (OFDMA) scheme or a MU MIMO schememay be used, and the OFDMA and MU-MIMO schemes may be simultaneouslyused.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a trigger frame. The trigger frame ofFIG. 6 allocates a resource for uplink multiple-user (MU) transmission,and may be transmitted, for example, from an AP. The trigger frame maybe configured of a MAC frame, and may be included in a PPDU.

Each field shown in FIG. 6 may be partially omitted, and another fieldmay be added. In addition, a length of each field may be changed to bedifferent from that shown in the figure.

A frame control field 1110 of FIG. 6 may include information related toa MAC protocol version and extra additional control information. Aduration field 1120 may include time information for NAV configurationor information related to an identifier (e.g., AID) of a STA.

In addition, an RA field 1130 may include address information of areceiving STA of a corresponding trigger frame, and may be optionallyomitted. A TA field 1140 may include address information of a STA (e.g.,an AP) which transmits the corresponding trigger frame. A commoninformation field 1150 includes common control information applied tothe receiving STA which receives the corresponding trigger frame. Forexample, a field indicating a length of an L-SIG field of an uplink PPDUtransmitted in response to the corresponding trigger frame orinformation for controlling content of a SIG-A field (i.e., HE-SIG-Afield) of the uplink PPDU transmitted in response to the correspondingtrigger frame may be included. In addition, as common controlinformation, information related to a length of a CP of the uplink PPDUtransmitted in response to the corresponding trigger frame orinformation related to a length of an LTF field may be included.

In addition, per user information fields 1160#1 to 1160#N correspondingto the number of receiving STAs which receive the trigger frame of FIG.6 are preferably included. The per user information field may also becalled an “allocation field”.

In addition, the trigger frame of FIG. 6 may include a padding field1170 and a frame check sequence field 1180.

Each of the peruser information fields 1160#1 to 1160#N shown in FIG. 6may include a plurality of subfields.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a common information field of a triggerframe. A subfield of FIG. 7 may be partially omitted, and an extrasubfield may be added. In addition, a length of each subfieldillustrated may be changed.

A length field 1210 illustrated has the same value as a length field ofan L-SIG field of an uplink PPDU transmitted in response to acorresponding trigger frame, and a length field of the L-SIG field ofthe uplink PPDU indicates a length of the uplink PPDU. As a result, thelength field 1210 of the trigger frame may be used to indicate thelength of the corresponding uplink PPDU.

In addition, a cascade identifier field 1220 indicates whether a cascadeoperation is performed. The cascade operation implies that downlink MUtransmission and uplink MU transmission are performed together in thesame TXOP. That is, it implies that downlink MU transmission isperformed and thereafter uplink MU transmission is performed after apre-set time (e.g., SIFS). During the cascade operation, only onetransmitting device (e.g., AP) may perform downlink communication, and aplurality of transmitting devices (e.g., non-APs) may perform uplinkcommunication.

A CS request field 1230 indicates whether a wireless medium state or aNAV or the like is necessarily considered in a situation where areceiving device which has received a corresponding trigger frametransmits a corresponding uplink PPDU.

An HE-SIG-A information field 1240 may include information forcontrolling content of a SIG-A field (i.e., HE-SIG-A field) of theuplink PPDU in response to the corresponding trigger frame.

A CP and LTF type field 1250 may include information related to a CPlength and LTF length of the uplink PPDU transmitted in response to thecorresponding trigger frame. A trigger type field 1260 may indicate apurpose of using the corresponding trigger frame, for example, typicaltriggering, triggering for beamforming, a request for block ACK/NACK, orthe like.

It may be assumed that the trigger type field 1260 of the trigger framein the present specification indicates a trigger frame of a basic typefor typical triggering. For example, the trigger frame of the basic typemay be referred to as a basic trigger frame.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example of a subfield included in a per userinformation field. A user information field 1300 of FIG. 8 may beunderstood as any one of the per user information fields 1160#1 to1160#N mentioned above with reference to FIG. 6 . A subfield included inthe user information field 1300 of FIG. 8 may be partially omitted, andan extra subfield may be added. In addition, a length of each subfieldillustrated may be changed.

A user identifier field 1310 of FIG. 8 indicates an identifier of a STA(i.e., receiving STA) corresponding to per user information. An exampleof the identifier may be the entirety or part of an associationidentifier (AID) value of the receiving STA.

In addition, an RU allocation field 1320 may be included. That is, whenthe receiving STA identified through the user identifier field 1310transmits a TB PPDU in response to the trigger frame, the TB PPDU istransmitted through an RU indicated by the RU allocation field 1320.

The subfield of FIG. 8 may include a coding type field 1330. The codingtype field 1330 may indicate a coding type of the TB PPDU. For example,when BCC coding is applied to the TB PPDU, the coding type field 1330may be set to ‘1’, and when LDPC coding is applied, the coding typefield 1330 may be set to ‘0’.

In addition, the subfield of FIG. 8 may include an MCS field 1340. TheMCS field 1340 may indicate an MCS scheme applied to the TB PPDU. Forexample, when BCC coding is applied to the TB PPDU, the coding typefield 1330 may be set to ‘1’, and when LDPC coding is applied, thecoding type field 1330 may be set to ‘0’.

Hereinafter, a UL OFDMA-based random access (UORA) scheme will bedescribed.

FIG. 9 describes a technical feature of the UORA scheme.

A transmitting STA (e.g., an AP) may allocate six RU resources through atrigger frame as shown in FIG. 9 . Specifically, the AP may allocate a1st RU resource (AID 0, RU 1), a 2nd RU resource (AID 0, RU 2), a 3rd RUresource (AID 0, RU 3), a 4th RU resource (AID 2045, RU 4), a 5th RUresource (AID 2045, RU 5), and a 6th RU resource (AID 3, RU 6).Information related to the AID 0, AID 3, or AID 2045 may be included,for example, in the user identifier field 1310 of FIG. 8 . Informationrelated to the RU 1 to RU 6 may be included, for example, in the RUallocation field 1320 of FIG. 8 . AID=0 may imply a UORA resource for anassociated STA, and AID=2045 may imply a UORA resource for anun-associated STA. Accordingly, the 1st to 3rd RU resources of FIG. 9may be used as a UORA resource for the associated STA, the 4th and 5thRU resources of FIG. 9 may be used as a UORA resource for theun-associated STA, and the 6th RU resource of FIG. 9 may be used as atypical resource for UL MU.

In the example of FIG. 9 , an OFDMA random access backoff (OBO) of aSTA1 is decreased to 0, and the STA1 randomly selects the 2nd RUresource (AID 0, RU 2). In addition, since an OBO counter of a STA2/3 isgreater than 0, an uplink resource is not allocated to the STA2/3. Inaddition, regarding a STA4 in FIG. 9 , since an AID (e.g., AID=3) of theSTA4 is included in a trigger frame, a resource of the RU 6 is allocatedwithout backoff.

Specifically, since the STA1 of FIG. 9 is an associated STA, the totalnumber of eligible RA RUs for the STA1 is 3 (RU 1, RU 2, and RU 3), andthus the STA1 decreases an OBO counter by 3 so that the OBO counterbecomes 0. In addition, since the STA2 of FIG. 9 is an associated STA,the total number of eligible RA RUs for the STA2 is 3 (RU 1, RU 2, andRU 3), and thus the STA2 decreases the OBO counter by 3 but the OBOcounter is greater than 0. In addition, since the STA3 of FIG. 9 is anun-associated STA, the total number of eligible RA RUs for the STA3 is 2(RU 4, RU 5), and thus the STA3 decreases the OBO counter by 2 but theOBO counter is greater than 0.

Hereinafter, a PPDU transmitted/received in a STA of the presentspecification will be described.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a PPDU used in the presentspecification.

The PPDU of FIG. 10 may be called in various terms such as an EHT PPDU,a TX PPDU, an RX PPDU, a first type or N-th type PPDU, or the like. Forexample, in the present specification, the PPDU or the EHT PPDU may becalled in various terms such as a TX PPDU, a RX PPDU, a first type orN-th type PPDU, or the like. In addition, the EHT PPDU may be used in anEHT system and/or a new WLAN system enhanced from the EHT system.

The PPDU of FIG. 10 may indicate the entirety or part of a PPDU typeused in the EHT system. For example, the example of FIG. 10 may be usedfor both of a single-user (SU) mode and a multi-user (MU) mode. In otherwords, the PPDU of FIG. 10 may be a PPDU for one receiving STA or aplurality of receiving STAs. When the PPDU of FIG. 10 is used for atrigger-based (TB) mode, the EHT-SIG of FIG. 10 may be omitted. In otherwords, an STA which has received a trigger frame for uplink-MU (UL-MU)may transmit the PPDU in which the EHT-SIG is omitted in the example ofFIG. 10 .

In FIG. 10 , an L-STF to an EHT-LTF may be called a preamble or aphysical preamble, and may begenerated/transmitted/received/obtained/decoded in a physical layer.

A subcarrier spacing of the L-STF, L-LTF, L-SIG, RL-SIG, U-SIG, andEHT-SIG fields of FIG. 10 may be determined as 312.5 kHz, and asubcarrier spacing of the EHT-STF, EHT-LTF, and Data fields may bedetermined as 78.125 kHz. That is, a tone index (or subcarrier index) ofthe L-STF, L-LTF, L-SIG, RL-SIG, U-SIG, and EHT-SIG fields may beexpressed in unit of 312.5 kHz, and a tone index (or subcarrier index)of the EHT-STF, EHT-LTF, and Data fields may be expressed in unit of78.125 kHz.

In the PPDU of FIG. 10 , the L-LTE and the L-STF may be the same asthose in the conventional fields.

The L-SIG field of FIG. 10 may include, for example, bit information of24 bits. For example, the 24-bit information may include a rate field of4 bits, a reserved bit of 1 bit, a length field of 12 bits, a parity bitof 1 bit, and a tail bit of 6 bits. For example, the length field of 12bits may include information related to a length or time duration of aPPDU. For example, the length field of 12 bits may be determined basedon a type of the PPDU. For example, when the PPDU is a non-HT, HT, VHTPPDU or an EHT PPDU, a value of the length field may be determined as amultiple of 3. For example, when the PPDU is an HE PPDU, the value ofthe length field may be determined as “a multiple of 3”+1 or “a multipleof 3”+2. In other words, for the non-HT, HT, VHT PPDI or the EHT PPDU,the value of the length field may be determined as a multiple of 3, andfor the HE PPDU, the value of the length field may be determined as “amultiple of 3”+1 or “a multiple of 3”+2.

For example, the transmitting STA may apply BCC encoding based on a 1/2coding rate to the 24-bit information of the L-SIG field. Thereafter,the transmitting STA may obtain a BCC coding bit of 48 bits. BPSKmodulation may be applied to the 48-bit coding bit, thereby generating48 BPSK symbols. The transmitting STA may map the 48 BPSK symbols topositions except for a pilot subcarrier{subcarrier index −21, −7, +7,+21} and a DC subcarrier{subcarrier index 0}. As a result, the 48 BPSKsymbols may be mapped to subcarrier indices −26 to −22, −20 to −8, −6 to−1, +1 to +6, +8 to +20, and +22 to +26. The transmitting STA mayadditionally map a signal of {−1, −1, −1, 1} to a subcarrier index{−28,−27, +27, +28}. The aforementioned signal may be used for channelestimation on a frequency domain corresponding to {−28, −27, +27, +28}.

The transmitting STA may generate an RL-SIG generated in the same manneras the L-SIG. BPSK modulation may be applied to the RL-SIG. Thereceiving STA may know that the RX PPDU is the HE PPDU or the EHT PPDU,based on the presence of the RL-SIG.

A universal SIG (U-SIG) may be inserted after the RL-SIG of FIG. 10 .The U-SIB may be called in various terms such as a first SIG field, afirst SIG, a first type SIG, a control signal, a control signal field, afirst (type) control signal, or the like.

The U-SIG may include information of N bits, and may include informationfor identifying a type of the EHT PPDU. For example, the U-SIG may beconfigured based on two symbols (e.g., two contiguous OFDM symbols).Each symbol (e.g., OFDM symbol) for the U-SIG may have a duration of 4μs. Each symbol of the U-SIG may be used to transmit the 26-bitinformation. For example, each symbol of the U-SIG may betransmitted/received based on 52 data tomes and 4 pilot tones.

Through the U-SIG (or U-SIG field), for example, A-bit information(e.g., 52 un-coded bits) may be transmitted. A first symbol of the U-SIGmay transmit first X-bit information (e.g., 26 un-coded bits) of theA-bit information, and a second symbol of the U-SIB may transmit theremaining Y-bit information (e.g. 26 un-coded bits) of the A-bitinformation. For example, the transmitting STA may obtain 26 un-codedbits included in each U-SIG symbol. The transmitting STA may performconvolutional encoding (i.e., BCC encoding) based on a rate of R=1/2 togenerate 52-coded bits, and may perform interleaving on the 52-codedbits. The transmitting STA may perform BPSK modulation on theinterleaved 52-coded bits to generate 52 BPSK symbols to be allocated toeach U-SIG symbol. One U-SIG symbol may be transmitted based on 65 tones(subcarriers) from a subcarrier index −28 to a subcarrier index +28,except for a DC index 0. The 52 BPSK symbols generated by thetransmitting STA may be transmitted based on the remaining tones(subcarriers) except for pilot tones, i.e., tones −21, −7, +7, +21.

For example, the A-bit information (e.g., 52 un-coded bits) generated bythe U-SIG may include a CRC field (e.g., a field having a length of 4bits) and a tail field (e.g., a field having a length of 6 bits). TheCRC field and the tail field may be transmitted through the secondsymbol of the U-SIG. The CRC field may be generated based on 26 bitsallocated to the first symbol of the U-SIG and the remaining 16 bitsexcept for the CRC/tail fields in the second symbol, and may begenerated based on the conventional CRC calculation algorithm. Inaddition, the tail field may be used to terminate trellis of aconvolutional decoder, and may be set to, for example, “000000”.

The A-bit information (e.g., 52 un-coded bits) transmitted by the U-SIG(or U-SIG field) may be divided into version-independent bits andversion-dependent bits. For example, the version-independent bits mayhave a fixed or variable size. For example, the version-independent bitsmay be allocated only to the first symbol of the U-SIG, or theversion-independent bits may be allocated to both of the first andsecond symbols of the U-SIG. For example, the version-independent bitsand the version-dependent bits may be called in various terms such as afirst control bit, a second control bit, or the like.

For example, the version-independent bits of the U-SIG may include a PHYversion identifier of 3 bits. For example, the PHY version identifier of3 bits may include information related to a PHY version of a TX/RX PPDU.For example, a first value of the PHY version identifier of 3 bits mayindicate that the TX/RX PPDU is an EHT PPDU. In other words, when thetransmitting STA transmits the EHT PPDU, the PHY version identifier of 3bits may be set to a first value. In other words, the receiving STA maydetermine that the RX PPDU is the EHT PPDU, based on the PHY versionidentifier having the first value.

For example, the version-independent bits of the U-SIG may include aUL/DL flag field of 1 bit. A first value of the UL/DL flag field of 1bit relates to UL communication, and a second value of the UL/DL flagfield relates to DL communication.

For example, the version-independent bits of the U-SIG may includeinformation related to a TXOP length and information related to a BSScolor ID.

For example, when the EHT PPDU is divided into various types (e.g.,various types such as an EHT PPDU related to an SU mode, an EHT PPDUrelated to a MU mode, an EHT PPDU related to a TB mode, an EHT PPDUrelated to extended range transmission, or the like), informationrelated to the type of the EHT PPDU may be included in theversion-dependent bits of the U-SIG.

For example, the U-SIG may include: 1) a bandwidth field includinginformation related to a bandwidth; 2) a field including informationrelated to an MCS scheme applied to EHT-SIG; 3) an indication fieldincluding information regarding whether a dual subcarrier modulation(DCM) scheme is applied to EHT-SIG; 4) a field including informationrelated to the number of symbol used for EHT-SIG; 5) a field includinginformation regarding whether the EHT-SIG is generated across a fullband; 6) a field including information related to a type of EHT-LTF/STF;and 7) information related to a field indicating an EHT-LTF length and aCP length.

In the following example, a signal represented as a (TX/RX/UL/DL)signal, a (TX/RX/UL/DL) frame, a (TX/RX/UL/DL) packet, a (TX/RX/UL/DL)data unit, (TX/RX/UL/DL) data, or the like may be a signaltransmitted/received based on the PPDU of FIG. 10 . The PPDU of FIG. 10may be used to transmit/receive frames of various types. For example,the PPDU of FIG. 10 may be used for a control frame. An example of thecontrol frame may include a request to send (RTS), a clear to send(CTS), a power save-poll (PS-poll), BlockACKReq, BlockAck, a null datapacket (NDP) announcement, and a trigger frame. For example, the PPDU ofFIG. 10 may be used for a management frame. An example of the managementframe may include a beacon frame, a (re-)association request frame, a(re-)association response frame, a probe request frame, and a proberesponse frame. For example, the PPDU of FIG. 10 may be used for a dataframe. For example, the PPDU of FIG. 10 may be used to simultaneouslytransmit at least two or more of the control frames, the managementframe, and the data frame.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example of a modified transmission device and/orreceiving device of the present specification.

Each device/STA of the sub-figure (a)/(b) of FIG. 1 may be modified asshown in FIG. 11 . A transceiver 630 of FIG. 11 may be identical to thetransceivers 113 and 123 of FIG. 1 . The transceiver 630 of FIG. 11 mayinclude a receiver and a transmitter.

A processor 610 of FIG. 11 may be identical to the processors 111 and121 of FIG. 1 . Alternatively, the processor 610 of FIG. 11 may beidentical to the processing chips 114 and 124 of FIG. 1 .

A memory 620 of FIG. 11 may be identical to the memories 112 and 122 ofFIG. 1 . Alternatively, the memory 620 of FIG. 11 may be a separateexternal memory different from the memories 112 and 122 of FIG. 1 .

Referring to FIG. 11 , a power management module 611 manages power forthe processor 610 and/or the transceiver 630. A battery 612 suppliespower to the power management module 611. A display 613 outputs a resultprocessed by the processor 610. A keypad 614 receives inputs to be usedby the processor 610. The keypad 614 may be displayed on the display613. A SIM card 615 may be an integrated circuit which is used tosecurely store an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) andits related key, which are used to identify and authenticate subscriberson mobile telephony devices such as mobile phones and computers.

Referring to FIG. 11 , a speaker 640 may output a result related to asound processed by the processor 610. A microphone 641 may receive aninput related to a sound to be used by the processor 610.

Hereinafter, technical features of multi-link (ML) supported by the STAof the present specification will be described.

STAs (AP and/or non-AP STA) of the present specification may supportmulti-link (ML) communication. ML communication may mean communicationsupporting a plurality of links. Links related to ML communication mayinclude channels (e.g., 20/40/80/160/240/320 MHz channels) of the 2.4GHz band, the 5 GHz band, and the 6 GHz band.

A plurality of links used for ML communication may be set in variousways. For example, a plurality of links supported by one STA for MLcommunication may be a plurality of channels in the 2.4 GHz band, aplurality of channels in the 5 GHz band, and a plurality of channels inthe 6 GHz band. Alternatively, a plurality of links may be a combinationof at least one channel within the 2.4 GHz band (or 5 GHz/6 GHz band)and at least one channel within the 5 GHz band (or 2.4 GHz/6 GHz band).Meanwhile, at least one of a plurality of links supported by one STA forML communication may be a channel to which preamble puncturing isapplied.

The STA may perform ML setup to perform ML communication. ML setup maybe performed based on management frames or control frames such asBeacon, Probe Request/Response, and Association Request/Response. Forexample, information on ML setup may be included in element fieldsincluded in Beacon, Probe Request/Response, and AssociationRequest/Response.

When ML setup is completed, an enabled link for ML communication may bedetermined. The STA may perform frame exchange through at least one of aplurality of links determined as an enabled link. For example, anenabled link may be used for at least one of a management frame, acontrol frame, and a data frame.

When one STA supports a plurality of Links, a transmitting/receivingdevice supporting each Link may operate like one logical STA. Forexample, one STA supporting two links may be expressed as one ML device(Multi Link Device; MLD) including a first STA for a first link and asecond STA for a second link. For example, one AP supporting two linksmay be expressed as one AP MLD including a first AP for a first link anda second AP for a second link. In addition, one non-AP supporting twolinks may be expressed as one non-AP MLD including a first STA for thefirst link and a second STA for the second link.

More specific features of the ML setup are described below.

An MLD (AP MLD and/or non-AP MLD) may transmit information about a linkthat the corresponding MLD can support through ML setup. Link-relatedinformation may be configured in various ways. For example, link-relatedinformation includes at least one of 1) information on whether the MLD(or STA) supports simultaneous RX/TX operation, 2) information on thenumber/upper limit of uplink/downlink links supported by the MLD (orSTA), 3) information on the location/band/resource of uplink/downlinklink supported by MLD (or STA), 4) type of frame available or preferredin at least one uplink/downlink link (management, control, data etc.),5) available or preferred ACK policy information on at least oneuplink/downlink link, and 6) information on available or preferred TID(traffic identifier) on at least one uplink/downlink link. The TID isrelated to the priority of traffic data and is represented by 8 types ofvalues according to the conventional wireless LAN standard. That is, 8TID values corresponding to 4 access categories (AC) (AC BK(background), AC_BE (best effort), AC_VI (video), AC_VO (voice))according to the conventional wireless LAN standard may be defined.

For example, it may be set in advance that all TIDs are mapped foruplink/downlink links. Specifically, if negotiation is not done throughML setup, all TIDs may be used for ML communication, and if mappingbetween uplink/downlink links and TIDs is negotiated through additionalML setup, the negotiated TIDs may be used for ML communication.

A plurality of links that can be used by the transmitting MLD and thereceiving MLD related to ML communication can be set through ML setup,and this can be called an enabled link. The enabled link can be calleddifferently in a variety of ways. For example, it may be called variousexpressions such as a first link, a second link, a transmitting link,and a receiving link.

After the ML setup is complete, the MLD may update the ML setup. Forexample, the MLD may transmit information about a new link when updatinginformation about a link is required. Information about the new link maybe transmitted based on at least one of a management frame, a controlframe, and a data frame.

The device described below may be the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and/or 11 ,and the PPDU may be the PPDU of FIG. 10 . A device may be an AP or anon-AP STA. A device described below may be an AP multi-link device(MLD) or a non-AP STA MLD supporting multi-link.

In EHT (extremely high throughput), a standard being discussed after802.1 lax, a multi-link environment in which one or more bands aresimultaneously used is considered. When a device supports multi-link,the device can simultaneously or alternately use one or more bands(e.g., 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz, 60 GHz, etc.).

In the following specification, MLD means a multi-link device. The MLDhas one or more connected STAs and has one MAC service access point(SAP) that communicates with the upper link layer (Logical Link Control,LLC). MLD may mean a physical device or a logical device. Hereinafter, adevice may mean an MLD.

In the following specification, a transmitting device and a receivingdevice may mean MLD. The first link of the receiving/transmitting devicemay be a terminal (e.g., STA or AP) included in thereceiving/transmitting device and performing signaltransmission/reception through the first link. The second link of thereceiving/transmitting device may be a terminal (e.g., STA or AP) thattransmits/receives a signal through the second link included in thereceiving/transmitting device.

In IEEE802.11be, two types of multi-link operations can be supported.For example, simultaneous transmit and receive (STR) and non-STRoperations may be considered. For example, STR may be referred to asasynchronous multi-link operation, and non-STR may be referred to assynchronous multi-link operation. Multi-links may include multi-bands.That is, multi-links may mean links included in several frequency bandsor may mean multiple links included in one frequency band.

EHT (11be) considers multi-link technology, where multi-link may includemulti-band. That is, multi-link can represent links of several bands andmultiple multi-links within one band at the same time. Two majormulti-link operations are being considered. Asynchronous operation,which enables TX/RX simultaneously on several links, and synchronousoperation, which is not possible, are being considered. Hereinafter, acapability that enables simultaneous reception and transmission onmultiple links is referred to as STR (simultaneous transmit andreceive), an STA having STR capability is referred to as STR MLD(multi-link device), and an STA that does not have STR capability isreferred to as a non-STR MLD.

In the following specification, for convenience of explanation, it isdescribed that the MLD (or the processor of the MLD) controls at leastone STA, but is not limited thereto. As described above, the at leastone STA may transmit and receive signals independently regardless ofMLD.

According to an embodiment, an AP MLD or a non-AP MLD may have astructure having a plurality of links. In other words, a non-AP MLD cansupport multiple links. A non-AP MLD may include a plurality of STAs. Aplurality of STAs may have Link for each STA.

In the EHT standard (802.11be standard), the MLD (Multi-Link Device)structure in which one AP/non-AP MLD supports multiple links isconsidered as a major technology. STAs included in the non-AP MLD maytransmit information about other STAs in the non-AP MLD together throughone link. Accordingly, there is an effect of reducing the overhead offrame exchange. In addition, there is an effect of increasing the linkuse efficiency of the STA and reducing power consumption.

Here, multi-link may include multi-band. That is, multi-link canrepresent links of several bands and multiple multi-links within oneband at the same time.

FIG. 12 shows an example of a structure of a STA MLD.

FIG. 12 shows an example in which one STA MLD has three links. In802.11be, one STA in the STA MLD must provide information on one or morelinks it has for single setup.

FIG. 13 shows an example of setting Multi-Link.

FIG. 13 shows an example of Setup. AP MLD has 4 links, and informationabout them is announced through Beacon frame or Probe Response frame.The information may provide information on capabilities of AP/Links,channel information, and non-STR link set. This example shows that Links1 and 2 and Links 3 and 4 are non-STR link sets, respectively. Non-APMLD has 3 STAs, each STA can be connected through a link, and discoversthe AP MLD through link 4. The non-AP MLD requests Link 2, 3, 4 throughlink 4 as the link to operate, and the AP MLD responds based on thisrequest so that the non-AP MLD can operate on links 2, 3, 4. If, in thisexample, the STA MLD does not have the capability to operate on link 4,it may not request link 4.

In the process of FIG. 13 , when three link pairs are {STA 1<->AP 4},{STA 2<->AP 3}, and {STA 3<->AP 2} in Multi-link Setup, STA 2 and STA 3have not yet performed an initial frame exchange with the AP. Forexample, when AP 2 receives a frame from STA 3, it does not know whetherSTA 3 belongs to the same MLD as STA 1. Therefore, AP 2 and AP 3 belongto the same MLD as STA 2 and STA 3, respectively, and a method forenabling frame exchange on the corresponding link is required.

The methods mentioned above are as follows, but are not limited to onemethod.

First of all, it can be largely divided into 1) method at the multi-linksetup stage and 2) method after multi-link setup. In these methods,among the links to be setup, the link transmitted in the AssociationRequest/Response frame is referred to as an association link, and theother setup links are referred to as non-association links. For example,if the setup links in FIG. 13 are links 2, 3, and 4, link 4 becomes anassociation link and links 2 and 3 become non-association links.

1) Method at the Multi-link Setup stage

1-1) MAC Address Signaling: An STA transmitting a Management frame(i.e., Probe Request/Response frame, Beacon frame, AssociationRequest/Response frame) includes MAC addresses of other STAs belongingto the same MLD other than itself. STAs operating on a non-associationlink recognize this MAC address to enable frame exchange. A method ofincluding the MAC addresses of other STAs belonging to the same MLD isas follows, but is not limited thereto.

A. New element or field definition: A new element or field is definedand MAC addresses of other STAs in the same MLD are included in themanagement frame. Basically, the MLD Per-STA MAC address field can bedefined as shown in FIG. 14 .

FIG. 14 shows an example of an MLD Per-STA MAC address field.

In the case of AP MLD, since there is a link ID that can distinguisheach AP, the MAC address can be indicated in the order of Link ID. Evenin the case of a non-AP MLD, if an STA ID capable of distinguishing eachSTA is defined, the MAC address can be indicated in the order of theSTAID. Also, for clear indication, link ID or STAID may be indicatedbefore each MAC address. In addition, MAC addresses for all STAsbelonging to the same MLD other than the STA transmitting the managementframe may not be indicated. For example, in FIG. 13 , STA 1 may notinclude the MAC address of STA 2. In this case, Number of STAs (orNumber of links (in case of AP)) may be additionally indicated.

If it is not an MLD, since the field may not be included, MAC addressesof other STAs may be included in the form of an element including theMLD address field shown in FIG. 14 instead of the field (see FIG. 15 ).

FIG. 15 shows an example of an MLD Per-STA MAC address element.

The MAC Address subelement exists in the current baseline. Therefore, ifit is entered in the form of a subelement, the existing MAC Addresssubelement can be utilized. Therefore, the MAC address element mentionedbelow may be replaced with a MAC address subelement.

B. Inclusion in Multi-link element: MAC addresses of other STAs in thesame MLD may be included in common info or per-STA info of the ML IE.

The format of the Multi-link Element is as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17 ,and the order, name, and size of the fields may change, and may exist asan additional field. Basically, Common info means common informationbetween STAs in the MLD, and specific information on each STA isindicated in the Per-STA Profile.

FIG. 16 illustrates structures of a Multi-link Control field and aCommon Info field of a Multi-link Element.

Referring to FIG. 16 , the Multi-link Control field includes a Typesubfield and an MLD MAC Address Present subfield. The Common Info fieldincludes the MLD MAC Address subfield. When the MLD MAC Address Presentsubfield is set to 1 (or 0), MAC addresses of STAs in the MLD may beincluded in the MLD MAC Address subfield.

FIG. 17 shows the structure of the Link Info field of Multi-linkElement.

Referring to FIG. 17 , the Link Info field includes a Per-STA Profilesubfield when the optional subelement ID is 0, and includes a VendorSpecific subfield when the optional subelement ID is 221. Optionalsubelement IDs for Multi-link Element are defined as follows.

TABLE 1 Subelement ID Name Extensible  0 Per-STA Profile Yes  1-220Reserved 221 Vendor Specific Vendor defined 222-255 Reserved

The Link Info field includes a Per-STA Profile subfield or other STAs(STAs operating in the non-association link) within the same MLD.Referring to FIG. 17 , assuming that the STA MLD includes STA 2 and STA3, the Link Info field may include a Per-STA Profile #2 subfield for STA2 and a Per-STA Profile #3 subfield for STA 3.

FIG. 18 shows an example in which the MLD Per-STA MAC address field isincluded in the Common Info field of the Multi-link Element.

FIG. 19 shows an example in which the MAC address of the STA is includedin the Per-STA Profile subfield of the Link Info field of the Multi-linkElement.

The MLD Per-STA MAC address field of FIG. 14 may be included in CommonInfo as shown in FIG. 18 or may be present as a MAC address field orelement of each STA in Per-STA Info as shown in FIG. 19 . The Per-STAProfile may not be required if it exists in Common Info and the MACaddress must always be included in the ML IE. However, since each MACaddress is different for each STA, a Per-STA Profile may be semanticallyappropriate.

FIG. 20 shows an example in which the Complete Profile is included inthe Per-STA Profile subfield of the Link Info field of the Multi-linkElement.

When the MAC address of another STA in the same MLD is included in thePer-STA Profile, when Complete Profile=1 by default, the Per-STA Profilemay include a complete profile as shown in FIG. 20 . In addition, theComplete Profile has several fields or several elements with a fixedorder. Therefore, the MAC address included in the Per-STA Profile may besignaled in the form of one field or element among several fields orelements configured in a fixed order. For example, if it is in the formof an element, as shown in FIG. 20 , element 2 can be replaced with aMAC address (sub) element to include the MAC address of STA x.

FIG. 21 shows an example of including MAC address present in the Per-STAProfile subfield of the Link Info field of the multi-link element.

In addition, when several fields in a fixed order are included as onefield, if included only in the case of association and not included inother cases to reduce overhead, signaling can be performed by includingthe presence field for the MAC address in the Per-STA Control field asshown in FIG. 21 . That is, if the value of the MAC address Presentfield is 1, the MAC address of the STA in the MLD corresponding to thePer-STA field exists.

2) Method after Multi-Link Setup

2-1) Initial Frame Transmission on Non-Association Link

FIG. 22 shows an example of transmitting an Initial frame on anon-association link.

Referring to FIG. 22 , to trigger frame exchange, the transmittertransmits an initial frame on a non-association link. When theTransmitter transmits the Initial Request frame, the receiver canrespond through the Initial Response frame (e.g., ACK). A transmittercan be both an AP and a non-AP STA. For example, after multi-link setup,an STA that first obtains a channel access opportunity on anon-association link may transmit an Initial Request frame. Basically,when the initial frame is transmitted, the MAC address of thetransmitter STA can be known through the TA.

Initial Request frame can be defined as a new frame, but existing QoSData frame, QoS Null frame, etc. can be used. In particular, the frametransmitted as the Initial Request frame may include transmitter MLDinformation and/or receiver MLD information in order to notify thatoperation is possible in the corresponding link after multi-link setup.

A. Address Setting: MLD MAC address can be set in Initial frame.

A-1) Set the MLD MAC address for the Receiver in the Receiving Address(RA) field:

FIG. 23 shows another example of transmitting an Initial frame on anon-association link.

Basically, in the multi-link setup process, since each other's MLD MACaddress can be known by including the ML IE in the AssociationRequest/Response frame, by including the MLD MAC address of the MLD,which is the receiver, in the RA, it can be notified that it isoperational in the current link. In addition, in order to inform that itis an MLD that has performed multi-link setup, the MLD MAC address ofthe transmitter MLD may be included in the source address (SA). Forexample, as shown in FIG. 23 , when STA 2 transmits an initial requestframe on link 3, TA can set its own MAC address, RA can set AP MLD MACaddress, and SA can set MAC address of non-AP MLD.

=>The example of A-1) follows the basic baseline, but there is anoverhead that requires additional use of the SA field.

A-2) Broadcast address set in RA: From the receiver's point of view, theaddress can be known through the TA, but it is difficult to accuratelydistinguish whether it is an MLD with multi-link setup.

A-3) Broadcast address is set in RA, and MLD MAC address for Receiver isset in Destination Address (DA):

FIG. 24 shows another example of transmitting an Initial frame on anon-association link.

It has the same purpose as A-1), but the address setting method isdifferent. In addition, in order to inform that it is an MLD that hasperformed multi-link setup, the MLD MAC address of the transmitter MLDmay be included in the source address (SA). For example, as shown inFIG. 24 , when STA 2 transmits an initial Request frame on link 3, TAcan be configured as its own MAC address, RA can be configured as thebroadcast address, SA can be configured as the MAC address of the non-APMLD, and DA can be configured as the AP MLD MAC address.

=>The example of A-3) follows the basic baseline, but there is overheadthat requires additional use of SA and/or DA fields.

A-4) Set the MLD MAC address for the transmitter of the transmitter MLDin the TA:

FIG. 25 shows another example of transmitting an Initial frame on anon-association link.

Although the purpose is the same as above, by setting the transmitterMLD address in the TA, the receiver who knows the MLD address can knowto which MLD the corresponding transmitter STA belongs. In particular,this method can reduce overhead for the address field compared to themethod of using SA and/or DA in A-1) to A-3). In the case of A-4), asshown in FIG. 25 , the RA basically uses the MAC address of the peer AP,but to clarify the intent of the initial frame, the MAC address of theMLD to which the AP belongs −1) or Broadcast address (A-2/A-3) can alsobe used.

A-5) In addition, the transmitter transmits the initial frame includingthe MLD MAC address of the transmitter MLD and/or the receiver MLD inthe control field (e.g. A-control field of QoS Null/Data frame) of theMAC frame body or MAC header delivered in the initial frame.

B. MLD ID Setting: MLD ID can be Set in Initial Frame.

FIG. 26 shows another example of transmitting an Initial frame on anon-association link.

B-1) The MLD MAC addresses of the transmitter and receiver set in theaddress fields presented in A-1), A-2), A-3), and A-4) may be replacedwith MLD IDs that can differentiate MLD.

For example, in the case of substitution in method A-4), the transmitterMLD and/or Transmits an initial frame including the MLD ID of thereceiver MLD. In the case of MLD ID entering the address field, the sizeof the field is much smaller than that of the MLD MAC address, so thenumber of remaining bits may increase if entered in the correspondingfield. In FIG. 26 , when STA 2 transmits an Initial Request frame onlink 3, the transmitter puts the ID of the non-AP MLD in the A-Controlfield of this frame to indicate that it is the non-AP MLD of STA 2, andthe receiver includes the ID of the corresponding AP MLD to indicatethat it is the AP MLD of AP 4 (combination of method A-5 and methodB-1)).

C. Association ID Setting: The Non-AP STA of the Non-AP MLD May Set theAssociation ID in the Initial Frame.

FIG. 27 shows another example of transmitting an Initial frame on anon-association link.

Specifically, as shown in A-4), the initial frame is transmittedincluding the Association Identifier (AID) of the non-AP STA of thenon-AP MLD that transmits the initial frame in the control field (e.g.A-control field of QoS Null/Data frame) of the MAC frame body or MACheader delivered to the initial frame. If the AID is MLD-level, when theAID is included, it is possible to know the MLD to which the non-AP STAbelongs and at the same time know the MAC address through the TA, the APand the non-AP STA may exchange frames on a non-association link. InFIG. 27 , when STA 2 transmits an Initial Request frame on link 3, thetransmitter puts the ID of the non-AP MLD in the A-Control field of thisframe to indicate that it is the non-AP MLD of STA 2, and the receiverincludes the ID of the corresponding AP MLD to indicate that it is theAP MLD of AP 4.

2-2) Defining additional rules: Anon-AP STA does not transmit a frameuntil a beacon is received on a non-association link. That is, thenon-AP STA waits until it receives (or hears) the Beacon. Basically,since TBTT (Target Beacon Transmission Time) information of other APscan be known during the multi-link setup process, this rule can beapplied. For example, in FIG. 27 , STA 2 and STA 3 do not transmit aframe until receiving a beacon from AP 3 and AP 2, respectively.However, even if STA 2 transmits a frame to AP 3 first, AP 3 cannot knowwhether STA 2 belongs to the same MLD as STAs 1 and 3.

Hereinafter, the above-described embodiment will be described withreference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 27 .

FIG. 28 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure in which a transmittingMLD provides MAC addresses of other STAs to a receiving MLD through aMulti-Link element (ML element) according to the present embodiment.

The example of FIG. 28 may be performed in a network environment inwhich a next generation WLAN system (IEEE 802.11be or EHT WLAN system)is supported. The next generation wireless LAN system is a WLAN systemthat is enhanced from an 802.11ax system and may, therefore, satisfybackward compatibility with the 802.11ax system.

The present embodiment proposes a method and apparatus for receiving, bya non-AP STA, a MAC address of another non-AP STA in the same non-AP MLDthrough an ML element in MLD communication. The non-AP STA recognizesanother non-AP STA based on the MAC address of the other non-AP STA, sothat frame exchange is possible on a corresponding link. Here, thetransmitting MLD may correspond to an AP MLD, and the receiving MLD maycorrespond to a non-AP MLD. If the non-AP STA is a first receiving STA,a first transmitting STA connected to the first receiving STA through afirst link may be referred to as a peer AP, the second to thirdtransmitting STAs connected through different links may be referred toas other APs, and the second and third receiving STAs connected throughdifferent links may be referred to as other non-AP STAs.

In step S2810, a transmitting multi-link device (MLD) generates amulti-link (ML) element.

In step S2820, the transmitting MLD transmits the ML element to thereceiving MLD through the first link.

The transmitting MLD includes a first transmitting station (STA)operating on the first link and a second transmitting STA operating on asecond link. The receiving MLD may include a first receiving STAoperating on the first link and a second receiving STA operating on thesecond link.

The ML element includes common information and link information.

The link information includes a profile field of the second transmittingSTA. The profile field of the second transmitting STA includes firstinformation on whether a MAC address of the second transmitting STA ispresent. If the first information is set to 1, the profile field of thesecond transmitting STA includes the MAC address of the secondtransmitting STA. When the first information is set to 0, the profilefield of the second transmitting STA may not include the MAC address ofthe second transmitting STA.

The transmitting MLD may further include a third transmitting STAoperating in a third link. The receiving MLD may further include a thirdtransmitting STA operating in the third link.

The link information may further include a profile field of the thirdtransmitting STA. The profile field of the third transmitting STA mayinclude second information on whether a MAC address of the thirdtransmitting STA is present. When the second information is set to 1,the profile field of the third transmitting STA may include the MACaddress of the third transmitting STA. When the second information isset to 0, the profile field of the third transmitting STA may notinclude the MAC address of the third transmitting STA.

The first link may be an association link, and the second and thirdlinks may be non-association links. That is, the present embodiment hasan effect of enabling frame exchange in the non-association link byreceiving the MAC address of the STA operating in the non-associationlink through the association link.

The ML configuration process between the transmitting MLD and thereceiving MLD is as follows.

The transmitting MLD may transmit link setting information to thereceiving MLD through the first link. The transmitting MLD may receivean association request frame from the receiving MLD through the firstlink. The transmitting MLD may transmit an association response frame tothe transmitting MLD through the first link.

The link setting information may be included in a beacon frame or aprobe response frame. The link setting information may include linkcapabilities of the transmitting MLD, channel information, orinformation on a link set that cannot be simultaneously transmitted andreceived. The ML element may be included in the association responseframe.

A frame exchange process after ML configuration between the transmittingMLD and the receiving MLD is as follows.

The transmitting MLD may receive a first initial request frame from thereceiving MLD through the second link. The transmitting MLD may transmita first initial response frame to the receiving MLD through the secondlink. The transmitting MLD may receive a second initiation request framefrom the receiving MLD through the third link. The transmitting MLD maytransmit a second initiation response frame to the receiving MLD throughthe third link.

The first initiation request frame and the first initiation responseframe may be exchanged in the second link based on the MAC address ofthe second transmitting STA. The second initiation request frame and thesecond initiation response frame may be exchanged in the third linkbased on a MAC address of the third transmitting STA.

Also, the first and second initiation request frames may include MACaddresses of the transmitting and receiving MLDs, identifiers orassociation Identifiers (AIDs) of the transmitting and receiving MLDs.

That is, this embodiment proposes a method in which the transmitting MLDdelivers the MAC address of another transmitting STA in the receivingMLD through the profile field of the receiving STA included in the linkinformation of the ML element. As a result, the first receiving STArecognizes the second and third receiving STAs in the ML configurationprocess. After ML configuration, frame exchange between the secondreceiving STA and the second transmitting STA and frame exchange betweenthe third receiving STA and the third transmitting STA are enabled, andeffective MLD communication can be performed.

The ML element may further include an element identifier field, a lengthfield, an element identifier extension field, and a Multi-Link (ML)control field.

The ML control field may include a type field. If the type field is setto 0, the ML element may be a Basic ML element. If the type field is setto 1, the ML element may be a probe request ML element.

FIG. 29 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure in which a receiving MLDreceives MAC addresses of other STAs from a transmitting MLD through aMulti-Link element (ML element) according to the present embodiment.

The example of FIG. 29 may be performed in a network environment inwhich a next generation WLAN system (IEEE 802.11be or EHT WLAN system)is supported. The next generation wireless LAN system is a WLAN systemthat is enhanced from an 802.11ax system and may, therefore, satisfybackward compatibility with the 802.11ax system.

The present embodiment proposes a method and apparatus for requestingchanged update information of a specific link by including a changesequence element in a multi-link element in a probe request frame in MLDcommunication.

In step S2910, a receiving Multi-link Device (MLD) receives a multi-link(ML) element from a transmitting MLD through a first link.

In step S2920, the receiving MLD decodes the ML element.

The transmitting MLD includes a first transmitting station (STA)operating on the first link and a second transmitting STA operating on asecond link. The receiving MLD may include a first receiving STAoperating on the first link and a second receiving STA operating on thesecond link.

The ML element includes common information and link information.

The link information includes a profile field of the second transmittingSTA. The profile field of the second transmitting STA includes firstinformation on whether a MAC address of the second transmitting STA ispresent. If the first information is set to 1, the profile field of thesecond transmitting STA includes the MAC address of the secondtransmitting STA. When the first information is set to 0, the profilefield of the second transmitting STA may not include the MAC address ofthe second transmitting STA.

The transmitting MLD may further include a third transmitting STAoperating in a third link. The receiving MLD may further include a thirdtransmitting STA operating in the third link.

The link information may further include a profile field of the thirdtransmitting STA. The profile field of the third transmitting STA mayinclude second information on whether a MAC address of the thirdtransmitting STA is present. When the second information is set to 1,the profile field of the third transmitting STA may include the MACaddress of the third transmitting STA. When the second information isset to 0, the profile field of the third transmitting STA may notinclude the MAC address of the third transmitting STA.

The first link may be an association link, and the second and thirdlinks may be non-association links. That is, the present embodiment hasan effect of enabling frame exchange in the non-association link byreceiving the MAC address of the STA operating in the non-associationlink through the association link.

The ML configuration process between the transmitting MLD and thereceiving MLD is as follows.

The transmitting MLD may transmit link setting information to thereceiving MLD through the first link. The transmitting MLD may receivean association request frame from the receiving MLD through the firstlink. The transmitting MLD may transmit an association response frame tothe transmitting MLD through the first link.

The link setting information may be included in a beacon frame or aprobe response frame. The link setting information may include linkcapabilities of the transmitting MLD, channel information, orinformation on a link set that cannot be simultaneously transmitted andreceived. The ML element may be included in the association responseframe.

A frame exchange process after ML configuration between the transmittingMLD and the receiving MLD is as follows.

The transmitting MLD may receive a first initial request frame from thereceiving MLD through the second link. The transmitting MLD may transmita first initial response frame to the receiving MLD through the secondlink. The transmitting MLD may receive a second initiation request framefrom the receiving MLD through the third link. The transmitting MLD maytransmit a second initiation response frame to the receiving MLD throughthe third link.

The first initiation request frame and the first initiation responseframe may be exchanged in the second link based on the MAC address ofthe second transmitting STA. The second initiation request frame and thesecond initiation response frame may be exchanged in the third linkbased on a MAC address of the third transmitting STA.

Also, the first and second initiation request frames may include MACaddresses of the transmitting and receiving MLDs, identifiers orassociation Identifiers (AIDs) of the transmitting and receiving MLDs.

That is, this embodiment proposes a method in which the transmitting MLDdelivers the MAC address of another transmitting STA in the receivingMLD through the profile field of the receiving STA included in the linkinformation of the ML element. As a result, the first receiving STArecognizes the second and third receiving STAs in the ML configurationprocess. After ML configuration, frame exchange between the secondreceiving STA and the second transmitting STA and frame exchange betweenthe third receiving STA and the third transmitting STA are enabled, andeffective MLD communication can be performed.

The ML element may further include an element identifier field, a lengthfield, an element identifier extension field, and a Multi-Link (ML)control field.

The ML control field may include a type field. If the type field is setto 0, the ML element may be a Basic ML element. If the type field is setto 1, the ML element may be a probe request ML element.

The technical features of the present disclosure may be applied tovarious devices and methods. For example, the technical features of thepresent disclosure may be performed/supported through the device(s) ofFIG. 1 and/or FIG. 11 . For example, the technical features of thepresent disclosure may be applied to only part of FIG. 1 and/or FIG. 11. For example, the technical features of the present disclosure may beimplemented based on the processing chip(s) 114 and 124 of FIG. 1 , orimplemented based on the processor(s) 111 and 121 and the memory(s) 112and 122, or implemented based on the processor 610 and the memory 620 ofFIG. 11 . For example, the device according to the present disclosurereceives a multi-link (ML) element from a transmitting multi-link device(MLD) through a first link; and decodes the ML element.

The technical features of the present disclosure may be implementedbased on a computer readable medium (CRM). For example, a CRM accordingto the present disclosure is at least one computer readable mediumincluding instructions designed to be executed by at least oneprocessor.

The CRM may store instructions that perform operations includingreceiving a multi-link (ML) element from a transmitting multi-linkdevice (MLD) through a first link; and decoding the ML element. At leastone processor may execute the instructions stored in the CRM accordingto the present disclosure. At least one processor related to the CRM ofthe present disclosure may be the processor 111, 121 of FIG. 1 , theprocessing chip 114, 124 of FIG. 1 , or the processor 610 of FIG. 11 .Meanwhile, the CRM of the present disclosure may be the memory 112, 122of FIG. 1 , the memory 620 of FIG. 11 , or a separate externalmemory/storage medium/disk.

The foregoing technical features of the present specification areapplicable to various applications or business models. For example, theforegoing technical features may be applied for wireless communicationof a device supporting artificial intelligence (AI).

Artificial intelligence refers to a field of study on artificialintelligence or methodologies for creating artificial intelligence, andmachine learning refers to a field of study on methodologies fordefining and solving various issues in the area of artificialintelligence. Machine learning is also defined as an algorithm forimproving the performance of an operation through steady experiences ofthe operation.

An artificial neural network (ANN) is a model used in machine learningand may refer to an overall problem-solving model that includesartificial neurons (nodes) forming a network by combining synapses. Theartificial neural network may be defined by a pattern of connectionbetween neurons of different layers, a learning process of updating amodel parameter, and an activation function generating an output value.

The artificial neural network may include an input layer, an outputlayer, and optionally one or more hidden layers. Each layer includes oneor more neurons, and the artificial neural network may include synapsesthat connect neurons. In the artificial neural network, each neuron mayoutput a function value of an activation function of input signals inputthrough a synapse, weights, and deviations.

A model parameter refers to a parameter determined through learning andincludes a weight of synapse connection and a deviation of a neuron. Ahyper-parameter refers to a parameter to be set before learning in amachine learning algorithm and includes a learning rate, the number ofiterations, a mini-batch size, and an initialization function.

Learning an artificial neural network may be intended to determine amodel parameter for minimizing a loss function. The loss function may beused as an index for determining an optimal model parameter in a processof learning the artificial neural network.

Machine learning may be classified into supervised learning,unsupervised learning, and reinforcement learning.

Supervised learning refers to a method of training an artificial neuralnetwork with a label given for training data, wherein the label mayindicate a correct answer (or result value) that the artificial neuralnetwork needs to infer when the training data is input to the artificialneural network. Unsupervised learning may refer to a method of trainingan artificial neural network without a label given for training data.Reinforcement learning may refer to a training method for training anagent defined in an environment to choose an action or a sequence ofactions to maximize a cumulative reward in each state.

Machine learning implemented with a deep neural network (DNN) includinga plurality of hidden layers among artificial neural networks isreferred to as deep learning, and deep learning is part of machinelearning. Hereinafter, machine learning is construed as including deeplearning.

The foregoing technical features may be applied to wirelesscommunication of a robot.

Robots may refer to machinery that automatically process or operate agiven task with own ability thereof. In particular, a robot having afunction of recognizing an environment and autonomously making ajudgment to perform an operation may be referred to as an intelligentrobot.

Robots may be classified into industrial, medical, household, militaryrobots and the like according uses or fields. A robot may include anactuator or a driver including a motor to perform various physicaloperations, such as moving a robot joint. In addition, a movable robotmay include a wheel, a brake, a propeller, and the like in a driver torun on the ground or fly in the air through the driver.

The foregoing technical features may be applied to a device supportingextended reality.

Extended reality collectively refers to virtual reality (VR), augmentedreality (AR), and mixed reality (MR). VR technology is a computergraphic technology of providing a real-world object and background onlyin a CG image, AR technology is a computer graphic technology ofproviding a virtual CG image on a real object image, and MR technologyis a computer graphic technology of providing virtual objects mixed andcombined with the real world.

MR technology is similar to AR technology in that a real object and avirtual object are displayed together. However, a virtual object is usedas a supplement to a real object in AR technology, whereas a virtualobject and a real object are used as equal statuses in MR technology.

XR technology may be applied to a head-mount display (HMD), a head-updisplay (HUD), a mobile phone, a tablet PC, a laptop computer, a desktopcomputer, a TV, digital signage, and the like. A device to which XRtechnology is applied may be referred to as an XR device.

The claims recited in the present specification may be combined in avariety of ways. For example, the technical features of the methodclaims of the present specification may be combined to be implemented asa device, and the technical features of the device claims of the presentspecification may be combined to be implemented by a method. Inaddition, the technical characteristics of the method claim of thepresent specification and the technical characteristics of the deviceclaim may be combined to be implemented as a device, and the technicalcharacteristics of the method claim of the present specification and thetechnical characteristics of the device claim may be combined to beimplemented by a method.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method in a wireless local area network (WLAN)system, the method comprising: receiving, by a first non-access point(non-AP) station (STA), a multi-link (ML) element from a first AP; anddecoding, by the first non-AP STA, the ML element, wherein the first APoperating on a first link and a second AP operating on a second link areaffiliated with an AP multi-link device (MLD), wherein the first non-APSTA operating on the first link and a second non-AP STA operating on thesecond link are affiliated with a non-AP MLD, wherein the ML elementincludes a Common Info field and a Link Info field, wherein the LinkInfo field includes a first Per-STA Profile subelement, wherein thefirst Per-STA Profile subelement includes a STA MAC Address Presentsubfield, wherein the STA MAC Address Present subfield indicates apresence of a STA MAC Address subfield and is set to 1 if the STA MACAddress subfield is present in a STA Info field in the first Per-STAProfile subelement, and wherein the STA MAC Address subfield of the STAInfo field carries a MAC address of the second STA.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, wherein a third AP operating on a third link is furtheraffiliated with the AP MLD, wherein a third non-AP STA operating on thethird link is further affiliated with the non-AP MLD.
 3. The method ofclaim 2, wherein the Link Info field further includes a second Per-STAProfile subelement, wherein the second Per-STA Profile subelementincludes a STA MAC Address Present subfield, wherein the STA MAC AddressPresent subfield indicates a presence of a STA MAC Address subfield andis set to 1 if the STA MAC Address subfield is present in a STA Infofield in the second Per-STA Profile subelement, and wherein the STA MACAddress subfield of the STA Info field carries a MAC address of thethird STA.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first link is anassociation link, wherein the second and third links are non-associationlinks.
 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by thefirst non-AP STA, link setting information from the first AP;transmitting, by the first non-AP STA, an association request frame tothe first AP; and receiving, by the first non-AP STA, an associationresponse frame from the first AP.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein thelink setting information is included in a beacon frame or a proberesponse frame, wherein the link setting information includes linkcapabilities of the AP MLD, channel information, or information on alink set that cannot be simultaneously transmitted and received, whereinthe ML element is included in the association response frame.
 7. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the ML element further includes an elementidentifier field, a length field, an element identifier extension field,and a Multi-Link (ML) control field, wherein the ML control fieldincludes a type field, wherein if the type field is set to 0, the MLelement is a Basic ML element, wherein if the type field is set to 1,the ML element is a probe request ML element.
 8. The method of claim 1,further comprising: transmitting, by the second non-AP STA, a firstinitial request frame to the second AP; receiving, by the second non-APSTA, a first initial response frame from the second AP; transmitting, bythe third non-AP STA, a second initiation request frame to the third AP;and receiving, by the third non-AP STA, a second initiation responseframe from the third AP; wherein the first initiation request frame andthe first initiation response frame are exchanged in the second linkbased on the MAC address of the second STA, wherein the secondinitiation request frame and the second initiation response frame areexchanged in the third link based on a MAC address of the third STA. 9.The method of claim 8, wherein the first and second initiation requestframes include MAC addresses of the AP and non-AP MLDs, identifiers orassociation Identifiers (AIDs) of the AP and non-AP MLDs.
 10. A firstnon-access point (non-AP) station (STA) in a wireless local area network(WLAN) system, the first non-AP STA comprising: a memory; a transceiver;and a processor being operatively connected to the memory and thetransceiver, wherein the processor is configured to: receive amulti-link (ML) element from a first AP; and decode the ML element,wherein the first AP operating on a first link and a second AP operatingon a second link are affiliated with an AP multi-link device (MLD),wherein the first non-AP STA operating on the first link and a secondnon-AP STA operating on the second link are affiliated with a non-APMLD, wherein the ML element includes a Common Info field and a Link Infofield, wherein the Link Info field includes a first Per-STA Profilesubelement, wherein the first Per-STA Profile subelement includes a STAMAC Address Present subfield, wherein the STA MAC Address Presentsubfield indicates a presence of a STA MAC Address subfield and is setto 1 if the STA MAC Address subfield is present in a STA Info field inthe first Per-STA Profile subelement, and wherein the STA MAC Addresssubfield of the STA Info field carries a MAC address of the second STA.11. A method in a wireless local area network (WLAN) system, the methodcomprising: generating, by a first access point (AP), a multi-link (ML)element; and transmitting, by the first AP, the ML element to a firstnon-AP STA, wherein the first AP operating on a first link and a secondAP operating on a second link are affiliated with an AP multi-linkdevice (MLD), wherein the first non-AP STA operating on the first linkand a second non-AP STA operating on the second link are affiliated witha non-AP MLD, wherein the ML element includes a Common Info field and aLink Info field, wherein the Link Info field includes a first Per-STAProfile subelement, wherein the first Per-STA Profile subelementincludes a STA MAC Address Present subfield, wherein the STA MAC AddressPresent subfield indicates a presence of a STA MAC Address subfield andis set to 1 if the STA MAC Address subfield is present in a STA Infofield in the first Per-STA Profile subelement, and wherein the STA MACAddress subfield of the STA Info field carries a MAC address of thesecond STA.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein a third AP operating ona third link is further affiliated with the AP MLD, wherein a thirdnon-AP STA operating on the third link is further affiliated with thenon-AP MLD.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the Link Info fieldfurther includes a second Per-STA Profile subelement, wherein the secondPer-STA Profile subelement includes a STA MAC Address Present subfield,wherein the STA MAC Address Present subfield indicates a presence of aSTA MAC Address subfield and is set to 1 if the STA MAC Address subfieldis present in a STA Info field in the second Per-STA Profile subelement,and wherein the STA MAC Address subfield of the STA Info field carries aMAC address of the third STA.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein thefirst link is an association link, wherein the second and third linksare non-association links.
 15. The method of claim 11, furthercomprising: transmitting, by the first AP, link setting information tothe first non-AP STA; receiving, by the first AP, an association requestframe from the first non-AP STA; and transmitting, by the first AP, anassociation response frame to the first non-AP STA.
 16. A first accesspoint (AP) station (STA) in a wireless local area network (WLAN) system,the first AP STA comprising: a memory; a transceiver; and a processorbeing operatively connected to the memory and the transceiver, whereinthe processor is configured to: generating a multi-link (ML) element;and transmit the ML element to a first non-AP STA, wherein the first APoperating on a first link and a second AP operating on a second link areaffiliated with an AP multi-link device (MLD), wherein the first non-APSTA operating on the first link and a second non-AP STA operating on thesecond link are affiliated with a non-AP MLD, wherein the ML elementincludes a Common Info field and a Link Info field, wherein the LinkInfo field includes a first Per-STA Profile subelement, wherein thefirst Per-STA Profile subelement includes a STA MAC Address Presentsubfield, wherein the STA MAC Address Present subfield indicates apresence of a STA MAC Address subfield and is set to 1 if the STA MACAddress subfield is present in a STA Info field in the first Per-STAProfile subelement, and wherein the STA MAC Address subfield of the STAInfo field carries a MAC address of the second STA.